Ethan

ETHAN

Ethan Connors led his squad through the rugged terrain of the Wastelands, their armor clanking softly in the eerie quiet.  He checked his rifle, ensuring it was loaded and ready.  Turning to address his team, Ethan spoke in a low, determined voice.

“Listen up, people.  Intelligence reports that this Freemen outpost has been covertly trading slaves to the Syndicate.  We put an end to that today.”

Sharon, the senior officer, piped up.

“How many hostiles are we expecting, sir?”

Ethan consulted the map and replied grimly.

“Unconfirmed reports suggest a small but heavily armed contingent.  They'll be outmatched and outgunned once we engage.”

Bloom, their demolitions expert, checked her explosives pack as she responded.

“I've rigged the breaching charges.  We'll be through their walls in seconds.”

Ethan nodded approvingly.

“Excellent work, Bloom.  Remember, our primary objective is to apprehend the slave traders and commanders. Capture them alive, if possible.”

He turned to Luther and Leta, the strong first responders.

“And you two make sure no injured civilians remain behind.  The Syndicate will pay for every slave traded.”

Ethan took a deep breath and gazed towards the distant Freemen structures.

“Stick to the plan, watch each other's backs, and let's do this professionally and efficiently.  The innocent deserve justice today.”

As the squad responded, Ethan raised his fist in the air, and together they marched towards the unsuspecting outpost, weapons at the ready, justice in their hearts, and the Peacekeepers' rallying cry on their lips.

As Ethan and his squad secured the outpost, a sense of unease crept over him.  The Freemen lay disarmed and subdued, but there were no signs of the alleged slaves.  No cages, no restraints, not even any shackled prisoners.

Ethan called his team together, from where they had the outpost's leader, a grizzled man with a long beard and fierce eyes, under guard.

“Leta, Search the compound thoroughly.  I want to be certain there are no hidden chambers or cellars concealing captives.  Sharon and Natasha, secure the perimeter.  Ensure no one escapes and alerts the Syndicate or other Freemen about our raid.  Luther and Bloom, begin questioning the prisoners.  Find out the truth of what they've been doing here.”  Ethan turned to the outpost leader.  “Listen up, old timer.  We’re here to stop a slave trade.  Give me the truth, and maybe we can come to an agreement.”

The Freemen leader glared defiantly.

“If we were slave traders, why would we keep any evidence here?  You've raided the wrong outpost, officer.  We're decent people, living off the land and away from the corruption of Echo City and the Syndicate.

Ethan felt a sinking feeling in his gut as the pieces began to fall into place.  The Peacekeepers headquarters must have been misinformed or lied to them.

Leta emerged from her search empty-handed.

"No slaves or cells found, sir.  Only supplies and living quarters for around 100 people."

Ethan swore under his breath. Goddamn it... someone fed us bad intel.

“These people are innocent.”

He dismissed the soldiers and crouched down to the Freemen leader's level.

“Listen up.  It seems we've been deceived.  There are no slaves here, and.. look... if you cooperate, give us something to prove we acted on a lie from our superiors, we'll trade this foul up for credit to help you rebuild.”

The leader eyed Ethan warily before nodding slowly.

“Huh, agreed.  My name's Josiah.  I'll give you the information I have.  What we do here, what we grow.  But your superiors will be gunning for you as much as for us, if you betray their lie.”

Ethan shook Josiah's calloused hand firmly.

Suddenly, the sound of hoofbeats and shouting echoed in the distance.  A band of around 20 wild-eyed Freemen, wielding a mix of scavenged weapons and crude spears, came into view over a hill.  They were clearly looking for a fight.

Ethan leaped to his feet, shouting to his squad.

“Incoming hostiles!  Stand to, stand to!”

His team reacted instantly, forming a defensive line and leveling their rifles at the charging Freemen.  The subdued Freemen prisoners began to scream and shout in panic.

Sharon and Natasha opened fire, their training giving them a lethal edge.  The first volley dropped half a dozen raiders before they even reached the outpost's perimeter.  The raiders, however, did not falter.  They returned fire with salvaged shotguns and muskets, the scattershot tearing through the air without discriminating friend from foe.  Ethan watched in horror as a shotgun blast tore through Josiah, the Freemen leader crumpling to the ground, dead before he hit the dirt.

Ethan snarled at the betrayal and the senseless loss of innocent life.  He aimed his rifle and squeezed the trigger, his expert marksmanship dropping the shotgun-wielding raider with a single shot to the chest.

The battle became a chaotic melee as the raiders clashed with both Ethan's squad and the remaining outpost Freemen.  Ethan fought alongside his team, his rifle and sidearm blazing as they repelled the attackers.

Natasha used a fallen raider as cover, her aim devastating at close range.  Leta and Luther fought as one, their strength and tenacity making them formidable in hand-to-hand combat. Even Sharon and Bloom waded into the fray to become a formidable part of the defensive line.

The outpost Freemen, while not trained fighters, threw themselves into the battle with desperate fervor, desperate to defend their home and families.  Ethan watched a young Freemen man, barely out of boyhood, drive a spear through a raider's back before being cut down by a sweep of a machete.

As abruptly as it had begun, the battle was over.  The last raider fell, and an eerie silence settled over the outpost.  Ethan surveyed the bloody aftermath, his heart heavy with the senseless loss of life.  He turned to his squad.  Bloom, ever the voice of reason, spoke up amidst the carnage.

“Ethan, sir... we should pull out.  Before more trouble arrives to investigate the gunfire.  We need to go, and take what evidence we can to expose the lie that got us into this mess.”

Ethan nodded solemnly, agreeing with Bloom's assessment.

“You're right, Bloom.  Pack it up, people.  We'll take Josiah's body and the outpost's records back with us.  It's time to get to the bottom of this.

He knelt beside Josiah's fallen form, hesitating only a moment before carefully lifting the man's body over his shoulder.  Glancing at the remaining outpost Freemen, Ethan called out.

“Who here knew Josiah best?  I need someone to help me find any records that prove you were targeted by a Peacekeeper lie.”

An older woman, her face etched with grief and rage, stepped forward.  She raised her chin defiantly.

“I'm his wife, Sarah.  I'll help you, but you better make those liars pay.  Our home, our people…”

Ethan met her gaze, his own eyes burning with shared fury.

“Sarah, I swear to you, we will find justice for Josiah and the fallen Freemen.  Your story, their story, will be heard.  Trust me.”

Sarah looked at the carnage, then back at Ethan, then to her Freemen people.

“Burn the raiders' bodies.”

Ethan nodded solemnly as Sarah stepped forward, still reeling from the loss of her husband but determined to see justice done.  He slipped an arm around Sarah's shoulders supportively.

“Sarah, I understand your pain.  Please come with us.  We need your testimony to expose the truth about what happened here.  It's time the real slave traders - and those who lied to cover for them - paid the price.”

Sarah took a shuddering breath but nodded.

“Josiah never worked with people he didn’t trust, Syndicate-type. He was exposing their dealings and associates, but… they got to him.  I'll not rest until justice is served.  I'll come with you.”

The Peacekeepers began to gather the weapons and any supplies, while Ethan rested a hand on Sarah's elbow.

“Leta, secure any documentation Josiah kept on the alleged slave trading.  Natasha and Sharon, give the outpost Freemen any aid and supplies they can carry.  We'll march back to the city at dawn.  Sarah here holds the key to setting the record straight.”

Luther spoke up.

“How will you explain our raid, sir, what happened here?

Ethan replied grimly.

“We'll tell them the truth of what we found here - that the real slave traders attacked us, and that they murdered innocent people and there were no slaves.”

As they prepared to camp for the night, the once peaceful outpost was now a somber place of mourning and resolve.  Ethan shared a quiet moment with Sarah, listening to her memories of Josiah and why they had been targeted.  It was time to bring their story to light.

The next morning, Ethan and his battered squad marched back towards Echo City, with Sarah walking alongside them.  She clutched a satchel containing Josiah's most important records, the key to revealing the truth behind the raid.

As they approached the sprawling expanse of the city, Sarah spoke up, her voice heavy with emotion.

“Have you ever seen such inequality?  The way the rich live, walled off in their towers, while decent folk struggle in the slums below... and now, my Josiah, and so many good people, dead for daring to stand against evil.”

Ethan replied softly, a bitter edge to his voice.

“I know it seems hopeless.  But change starts with the truth, Sarah.  Josiah risked everything to expose the real slave traders.  Now it's our turn to see justice done.

Finally, they reached the imposing gates of Precinct G, where the white marble columns and brushed steel walls seemed to mock the dust and toil of the Freemen.  Ethan led Sarah and his team inside.

The lieutenant in charge of their rotation approached, her brow furrowed in concern at the sorry state of the squad.

“What in the world happened to you lot?  A routine raid turned into this?  Report!

Ethan stood at attention, fatigue and grief etched on his face.

“Lieutenant, a band of raiders attacked the Freemen outpost we were investigating.  The real slave traders, not the innocent people we were told to target.  The outpost was defending themselves when we attacked, and then it got worse.  There were losses on both sides.

The Lieutenant looked at Sarah, puzzled.

“And who might this be?”

Sarah spoke up, her voice trembling with anger and sorrow.

“I'm Sarah, I’m... my husband and my people were murdered to cover up the powerful’s crimes.  You Peacekeepers put us in harm's way with false information, Lieutenant.” She spits on the floor.

“Lieutenant, we need a full investigation,” Ethan added solemnly, “Sarah here holds proof in her satchel.  The people deserve the truth, as do the innocent Freemen who died.”

The lieutenant listened intently as Ethan recounted the harrowing events, her expression growing graver with each detail.  When he finished, she was silent for a long moment, considering his words.  The Lieutenant looked between Ethan and Sarah, realization dawning in her eyes.

“I'll see the High Commander gets this information.  Rest up, Captain Connor.  Then report to the hospital to get your status checked.

She called for another lieutenant, and had Sarah taken away for further questioning.  She turned her attention back to Ethan.

“Ethan... I believe your account of the events.  A tragic misunderstanding, and an attack by a third party.  But you must understand, publicly this... situation cannot be blown out of proportion.” She continued, choosing her words carefully.  “Officially, the raid was conducted based on credible intelligence.  A few rebels died in the firefight, and your squad took casualties... regrettable, but not unprecedented.*

Ethan interrupted, frustration and anger flashing in his eyes.

“Lieutenant, innocent people died.  Hardworking Freemen, not rebels or criminals.  And raiders, the real slave traders, attacked them - us.  That's not a 'situation' to downplay!”

The lieutenant sighed.

“I understand your feelings, Ethan.  But contouring the official story is necessary to maintain order and stability.  We can't have the public panicking about slave traders targeting Freemen settlements.”

Ethan shook his head in disbelief.

“So we're lying about the dead again, for the sake of order.  Does that not sound familiar?”

The lieutenant ignored his comment.

“I'll put in a good word with the High Commander.  She should be made aware of the real situation and the bravery of you and your squad.  But I need your discretion... for now.”

Ethan stewed in frustration that justice would be brushed under the rug once more.

Later that day, he called his battered squad together for a final debriefing before they were granted some much-needed rest.  They gathered in a small, dimly lit conference room, the air thick with weariness and lingering adrenaline.

Ethan began the briefing, his voice weary.

“...And that's the official line.  Sarah's testimony and Josiah's records will be reviewed by the High Commander.”

Leta spoke up, her voice thick with unshed tears.

“...Josiah and the other Freemen didn't deserve that fate.  The squad, the civilians, the innocent dead... for what?”

Ethan nodded solemnly, his jaw clenched.

“I don’t know.  It's a tragedy that they died for the sake of corruption and greed.”

Bloom added grimly.

“I just heard from the comms room,” Bloom added grimly, “... a man and a-a little girl, attacked in the Quetzal District. Armed with chainsaws, the bastards.  Leaving a trail of blood and tissue... that poor girl’s missing and the guy will be damned lucky if he survives with his limbs intact.”

A somber shudder ran through the room, the weight of this additional atrocity settling upon their hearts like a shroud.

Ethan bowed his head, fighting back the tears stinging his eyes. ...Dear God. When will it end? The innocent suffering... the lives destroyed… He took a deep breath, struggling to find a shred of hope amidst the bleakness.

“We'll have to do better than this.  A new day, a new fight awaits.  But for now... for now, rest. Regroup.  Remember… remember you are loved.”

The squad dispersed, carrying with them the anguish of loss and the bitter pill of injustice half-swallowed.  Their spirit to serve, to protect the innocent, tested but unbroken in the face of an unyielding evil.